Various devices for insertion into the body for diagnostic, therapeutic and/or sensing purposes are known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0216622, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an in-vivo device capable of passing through a body lumen and whose geometry can alter or be altered. The device may include a device body and at least one appendage coupled to the body. The appendage(s) may be extended in vivo, thereby altering the device geometry while in a body lumen. The device may be a sensing device, a diagnostic device, a therapeutic device, or a combination thereof.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0181155, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an in vivo device for sensing a lumen such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The device includes a substantially spherical housing and an oblong appendage attached to the housing. The appendage may be detached in vivo, for example in the stomach. The in vivo device may then roll and glide along a stomach wall to provide, for example, a smooth sampled image stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,860, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a pass-through duodenal enteroscopic device, which utilizes the natural contraction wave of the small intestine to propel the device through the small intestine. The exterior of the device is streamlined over the greater portion thereof with a video camera and illumination source at the forward end of the device. A transparent inflatable balloon covers the camera lens and illumination source, and is adapted to gently expand the small intestine immediately forward the camera for better viewing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,684, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a micro-capsule robot for examining the internal organs of a human body. The robot can be fixed at a certain position in the body or its movement can be delayed, according to an external stop control signal.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2001/0051766, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscopic device, which is introduced into the intestinal tract of a living organism and operates autonomously therein. The device is adapted to obtain and store or transmit one or more types of data, such as visual image data, laser auto-fluorescence data and ultrasonic waveform data.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,499, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an implantable medical device. First and second sets of anchoring members are respectively connected to the proximal and distal ends of the device housing. The first and second sets of anchoring members are movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position. Each anchoring member comprises a ring member, and each ring member has a tissue engaging surface thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,183, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an electronic capsule transponder, which has an insulating coating of material dissolvable by the action of enzyme secretions. The capsule circuitry is inoperable because of a pair of open connectors. When the coating is dissolved, the transponder is coated with the enzyme flow. As digestion proceeds, the electrodes comprising the open circuit are in contact with pancreatic and intestinal fluid, which has sufficient ions to provide a conductive path to close the open circuit. The capsule condition can then be detected by the external sensing means.
Intrabody devices are sometimes used for treating obesity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,618, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for treatment of morbid obesity. A hollow-shaped appliance is placed in a patient stomach. The appliance is formed of semi-rigid skeleton members and is collapsible to a dimension and shape which can be inserted into the stomach through the esophagus and cardiac opening. Upon release of the collapsed device in the stomach, it autogeneously re-assumes its normal uncollapsed shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,383, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an apparatus for treatment of morbid obesity. The apparatus includes a collapsible intra-gastric appliance, which can be temporarily deformed to pass through the esophagus and cardiac opening of the stomach and to autogeneously assume a normal shape after it is received in the stomach to stimulate neuro-receptors in the sub-mucosa of the gastric fundus. Means are provided for detachably connecting the appliance to the lower end of an elongate, semi-rigid inserter rod which is passed through an aperture formed in the appliance to effect the detachable connection. Downward pressure on the inserter rod forces the collapsed appliance through the esophagus and cardiac opening into the stomach and slight upward force of the inserter rod is thereafter applied to detach the rod from the appliance.
PCT Patent Application Publication WO 2006/035446, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an apparatus and a method for treating a weight disorder in a subject. The apparatus comprises an implantable device, such as an inflatable balloon, electrodes capable of sensing a physiological change associated with good ingestion or hunger, and a mechanism adapted for directly stimulating a region, which is responsive to a gastrointestinal satiety agent. Such a mechanism can be a drug reservoir containing a drug such as CCK or analogs thereof, which is contained within an inflatable balloon in a stomach of the subject.
Other methods for treating obesity involve the insertion of an elastic expandable device, such as an inflatable balloon, into the patient's stomach. Such methods are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,993,473, 6,454,785, 4,246,893, 4,485,805, 4,315,509, 4,416,267 and 6,733,512, whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.
Other disclosed methods treat obesity by applying electric signals and currents to the stomach. Such methods are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2004/0122453, 2005/0245957 and 2005/0183732 whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.